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When a terrified caller told the RSPCA they'd spotted an abandoned cobra, the animal charity rushed to the scene.

But instead of finding a potentially deadly venomous snake - an inspector instead found a rubber toy left on top of a bin!

Animal welfare officer Ron Crawford went to Shildon, in County Durham, on Wednesday.

He said: "The caller had managed to secure it in a plastic tub before calling us for help describing it as a brown snake that had been abandoned.

"Unfortunately, we are called out to a lot of snakes that have been abandoned - often by owners who have taken them on without realising how much of a commitment they are and without understanding the specialist care they need.

"However, once I arrived at the scene I quickly realised this wasn’t your usual snake abandonment - and the snake in question was in fact a toy!"